Roland Corporation

About Roland

Roland Corporation is a Japanese manufacturer of electronic musical instruments, electronic equipment and software headquartered in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture. Founded in 1972 by Ikutaro Kakehashi in Osaka, the company develops and produces digital pianos, keyboards, synthesizers, e-drums (V-Drums), wind instruments (Aerophone), effects units and instrument amplifiers under the BOSS brand, as well as DJ equipment and professional A/V products such as video switchers and mixers. In addition, Roland offers Roland Cloud, a subscription service for software synthesizers and sound content, and Zenbeats, a music production app. The group includes the brands BOSS, V-MODA and, since 2022, Drum Workshop, Inc. with DW, PDP, Latin Percussion and Slingerland. At the end of 2022, Roland employed around 2783 staff and is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (Prime Market, code 7944); its products are distributed worldwide.

Site

431-2103 Hamamatsu, Shizuoka

Processes

Roland Cloud (software/subscription service), Music production apps (Zenbeats), Livestreaming products, Professional A/V (video switchers, mixers), Software synthesizers

Founded

1972

Employees

2783

Industries

Electronic musical instruments, Pro audio/video, Music production/software, DJ equipment, Effects and instrument amplifiers

1. 01

   Development

2. 02

   Production

3. 03

   Distribution

4. 04

   Software/Cloud services

Locations

Products

Inside the production

History

1. 1972

   Founded by Ikutaro Kakehashi in Osaka; first products TR-33/TR-55/TR-77 rhythm machines

2. 1973

   SH-1000, Roland's first synthesizer; founding of MEG Electronics (later BOSS)

3. 1974

   EP-30, the world's first electric piano with a touch-sensitive keyboard; RE-201 Space Echo

4. 1976

   CE-1 Chorus Ensemble, the first BOSS effects processor

5. 1977

   GR-500, the world's first guitar synthesizer; MC-8 MicroComposer

6. 1980

   TR-808 Rhythm Machine

7. 1981

   JUPITER-8 synthesizer

8. 1983

   Development of MIDI (with Dave Smith/Sequential Circuits); MSQ-700, the world's first MIDI sequencer

9. 1987

   D-50, Roland's first fully digital synthesizer

10. 1989

    Stock exchange listing in the second section of the Osaka Stock Exchange

11. 1991

    SC-55 Sound Canvas

12. 2005

    Relocation of headquarters to Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture

13. 2014

    Management buyout by CEO Junichi Miki, supported by Taiyo Pacific Partners

14. 2016

    V-MODA joins the Roland Group

15. 2018

    Launch of Roland Cloud (subscription service)

16. 2022

    50th company anniversary; Drum Workshop, Inc. (DW, PDP, Latin Percussion, Slingerland) joins the Roland Group